Every Man for Himself
by SparrowCries
Summary: The tributes are in for a real twist this year in the 100th Hunger Games. Memories lost and forced into the Arena unsure of what lies ahead and desperate for answers one thing these tribute are sure of is in a Game where just one person can come out and twenty three will be slaughtered. It is now every man for himself.
1. Chapter 1 A Twist

A/N-So I guess you should know the twist- Well I had this idea where every tribute would basically have their memories taken away. Then sent into the Arena. I know it is confusing but this chapter WILL explain, if you have any questions though just ask :) I don't bite I promise. Anyway in the story I should warn you it will start from the Games and all the tributes will have no memory, or little memories. During the Games they will start to remember and stuff will happen and… oh just read the chapter.

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**Chapter One: A Twist**

The young Gamemaker sat at the dark wood table twirling a pencil between his fingers. Mind you not just _any _bumbling fool of a Gamemaker sat at this table. No this little Gamemaker was the Head Gamemaker! The title breaks a smile across his lips. Of course it would though; after all he got everything he wanted. Fame, money, females…., and so much more. Not just that but he did it through being twisted and sadistic and doing things that are usually illegal. Who could not love this?

A sane person, then again our little Phineas was not very sane of a person. Who could willingly overlook the entire design of an Arena and Game designed to turn teenagers into killers, until one is left? No one sane and Phineas knew it and accepted insanity with open arms because it brought him fame.

Of course there were the disadvantages, like working long nights only lit by a small dim light and coffee. Lots and lots of coffee. Today though was different, it seemed like every other all-night work session Phineas had to perform for work except for the presence of the very old Xia over his shoulder. The woman was once Head Gamemaker… but that was so very long ago. It was the twenty-seven year old boy's turn now for the job title. What made tonight very different than most is the scientist that are simply hired to overlook the Hunger Game's projects were more advanced science was involved finally came up with the procedure to fit this Quarter Quell's needs. Of course it also took much longer to fit Phineas's big expectations.

"So how is the serum going?" Xia asked the old woman obviously nosy and Phineas saw the opportunity to interest her. He always loved to grab people by the collar sometimes and just speak of a tale that would have the begging to hear the ending. At least that is how _he _saw it.

"It is going magnificently my darling!" He says but Xia doesn't budge at the nickname. He gets to his feet that extra rush from his latest cup of coffee allowing him the energy to go on dramatically telling Xia everything he had to say, and boy he had lots to say. "You see any normal and boring person would decide that they would just remove the tribute's memories. Not the ones of learning of course, just memories. Memories of people and events happening in such tribute's life. That would be boring though because we would have to keep reminding them and tell them that they have to kill each other."

"Sounds awful!" Xia says sarcastically, not like Phineas detected the obvious sarcasm.

"You are very right my darling! See I decided to do something more different than removing. I am building a dam." He said pleased with the metaphor he had come up with.

Xia blinked confused. "And how is that?" She asks tired and not as hyped up on caffeine as Phineas.

"Well I will tell you that!" Phineas chimed looking up at the ceiling and thrusting his hand in the air. It took all of Xia's self control she had gained in all of her many years not to roll her eyes at the dramatic boy. "You say I am building a dam for the memories." He says picking up the pencil and drawing a crude drawing of a brain, well the outline of it. After that he wrote memories and drew a sharp line blocking it off. "This is the memories, and I am blocking such water from entering the tribute's access. It doesn't end there though; I will have control of such dam. I will control memory flow. Eventually memory by memory tributes will regain things and figure out their pasts and just what they were put into the Arena for. This will cause drama." He says. Then he moves pretending as if he is a tribute and his lower lip trembles. "Oh should I tell me friend or not?" he says smiling.

Crazy enough it was smart, Xia hated to say it but the boy was fairly brilliant but the way he exaggerated everything drove her crazy. "That isn't too bad." She comments.

"I know!" Phineas says smirking showing off his shining white teeth. "Because these tributes will have much pressure on these dams… and we all know that sooner or later that dam must break. And outflows the river of memories." Phineas says sadistically.

A river of memories.

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That was short and not too good -.-' sorry for that but I just wanted to explain this all in a way hopefully you guys can understand. Any questions though feel free to ask! Also this will be written in first person! I said before (I think) that the story will start in the Games were the tributes wake up. I think this is best because while the tributes slowly regain their memories the readers will also slowly see their back-stories. See where I am going? I am going to be honest you guys are going to have to trust me… Anyway form is on my profile and one last thing (yup I ramble too much)

Reviewing. In this story with no bloodbath and no before Game chapters days will be divided into many chapters (maybe four chapter per day?) but anyway how am I supposed to know if you are reading if you don't review? Also it is simple curtsey so please leave a review. I get if you can't constantly review because of life but please just once and a while leave a review. Or I promise your character won't get far. Sorry but it is only fair.

P.S. Sorry for any mistakes but like Phineas I am running on caffeine.

Oh and I am going on a trip for the Holiday and won't be back until Monday after next Monday, but I promise if you see will respond to you guys through my phone and all during the time.


	2. Chapter 2 All Falling Into Place

All Falling into Place

The silence was bitter among the Gamemakers was caused by the yelling and arguing silenced by the fact that the Twenty Four tributes were all beginning their procedure. Their procedure being? The one that installed the special little "dam" as Phineas had been calling it. While Phineas sat in the back confident and not worried or bitter by the recent argument one bit. He sat fixing his hair as the rest looked so worried. He had trouble understanding why they were worried but he did manage to figure out that they were frightened for the tribute's safety.

Phineas had much trouble understanding why they were thinking that brain surgery for twenty-four teens could go wrong. After all it was just brain surgery. Suddenly an alarm pierces the air and ear drums of ever Gamemaker making them all jump from their seats and start getting to work.

It worked.

He knew it would and all. After all it was his idea and he was the shining star Prodigy. Nothing he did would go wrong, that is what he woke up to everyday and it is the motto that kept him dramatic and always sporting his iconic insane and wild smile. He always knew this would work since the idea came into his brain. Even so the fact that everything is wonderfully coming into place was magnificent and Phineas couldn't stop smiling over the idea. Every single tribute's memory _erased._ As much as he would love to sit around marveling in this fact he knew he had to get to work. Every single tribute was drugged and fast asleep, they already changed into their tribute uniform and said their goodbyes to their stylists and mentors who are now strangers to them all. Now they had just five minutes, five minutes exactly, to get every tribute onto their metal plates and sent up into the Arena where they will wake up to the ticking clock counting down to the beginning of the Hunger Games.

They don't even know what the Hunger Games are though! This made Phineas smile because it left a certain mystery to each and every viewer. Then again this was the hundredth Hunger Games and it had to be simply fabulous.

Oh and this Hunger Games will just be simply _fabulous. _

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_I promise things will be in first person and NEVER this short, but I need all the tributes to begin so I wrote this little chapter. Hopefully it will be the last lame chapter you all will have to see. Here is the tributes I have so far! :)_

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Here are the tributes so far, also take notice to the ages because I don't want ALL the tributes to be 15 or ALL the tributes to be 17 and so on.

District One

F- Carmen Madeleine Jordan, 16

M- Apollo Neuron, 17

Two

F- Rowan Karly Gardellis, 15

M- Perseus McKinley, 17 "Percy"

Three

F- Terra Lyyn, 13

M-Emile Dalein, 18

Four

F- Serene Faero, 18

M-Avery Larkin, 16

Five

F- Clarrissa Collier, 17 "Lissa"

M- Jacob Strouth, 17 "Jake"

Six

F- Ruana Aika, 14

M- Algernon Muroidea, 17

Seven

F-Helena Toms, 15

M- Joel Rook, 16

Eight

F- Heather Paige, 16

M- Lurex Aramid, 18

Nine

F- Miyu Writ, 18

M- Rian Grit, 12

Ten

F- Jayde Nightrose, 16

M-Elliot Florence

Eleven

F-Willa Florence, 15

M- Crowe Merrik, 18

Twelve

F- Imogene Aero, 17

M- Tolbert Davies, 18


	3. Chapter 3 Problematic

**_Chapter Three: Problematic_**

**_Day One_**

_**District Eight**_

_**Heather, 16**_

From a first glance around me I realize a couple of things. The first being that I have absolutely no clue where I am or how I got here. Second is that I am pretty sure I would much rather be anywhere but here, wherever here is. Third is that not only do I have no clue where I am I also have no clue who I am. How can matters get worse? Simple add the fact there is a pesky ticking sound as a mechanical voice counts down, to what I don't know. Now to add to my unfortunate amnesia and the count down to whatever I also stand on a metal plate my feet held with some sort of metal cuffs that don't even allow me to move my legs a bit. Though the metal cuffs that keep me standing explain how I managed to wake up standing. Yes of course I know nothing about myself or my surroundings but somehow I remember things like I am human. That I am female. And of course the factor that female humans are not supposed to sleep standing. While my memories are lacking I still have managed to keep common sense.

Well that is a good sign, I am not hopeless. I think (and hope).

Looking up from the dirty ground I finally get a better look at things that are not five feet in front of me, five feet in front of me being dirt and roots, as if things couldn't get weirder my eyes are met with the sight of a circle of teenagers all circled around something…. well it is shaped like a Cornucopia and it is filled with bags and food (supplies?) and the most frightening of all being the deadly looking weapons scattered around. I know I am a teen, not my age just that I am a teen. I am pretty sure that everyone circled around this Cornucpia are somewhere between twelve and eighteen. Where I got that age range from I don't know, like so many other things.

The room we are all in is dark and damp, the humidity making my skin feel damp as well. It is kind of like an underground dirt room. Like someone decided to dig a giant room in dirt, roots hang from the ceiling and I can see on the Cornucpia a surprisingly clean screen clock ticking down along with the voice.

Thirty…

Twenty-nine…

Twenty-eight…

What is going on? The confusion makes me begin to feel rather panicked with even a tiny hint of hysterical. Then again all around me is other people, they will have to know what is going on.

I look down at myself, I can see brunette hair resting on my shoulders and I can get a look at my hands. Pale skin with very little of a slight tan. I can't pair an eye color to myself yet but I imagine if I ask someone they will answer.

Something churns inside me slightly with that, I know little about myself but I do know that I am not very comfortable with strangers. Great so I am shy, not too good for this situation where every single person is a stranger to me.

Around my wrist I see a band, twisting it to see the print I see a name and an age.

HEATHER PAIGE, 16

That is my name, I know somehow that it is my name. I was right about being a teenager too. I am sixteen. At least I know somethings.

Three…

Time to find out what the countdown is to. Everyone in the circle of people all look up to the timer as it ticks down until finally a loud gong rings loudly through the air to the point I fear the dirt cave might fall in on us. It doesn't and the mechanical voice rings once more through the dirt room.

"Let the Hundredth Hunger Games begin!" Hunger Games? What in the world is the Hunger Games? All I know is that as soon as the voice announces it the cuffs around all our legs are removed and we can leave the metal plates we stand on- all walking together to meet in the center of the room almost by instinct. The whole time my mind swirling around the Hunger Games. No matter what it is any Game that involves weapons can't be good.

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_**District One**_

_**Apollo, 17**_

The room is silent, at first I was hoping someone could help me put together the pieces since I woke up to zero memory but by the way everyone is acting my gut is telling me answers might not come so easily. I look to my side to see a small girl, maybe thirteen? She has DISTRICT THREE printed across her chest. She meets my glance and looks away quickly. I smirk at that, one thing I do know is that I am use to girls feeling nervous around me. I don't even know what I look like but something tells me this girl looked away quickly for more reasons then just that she is shy.

The District Three across her shirt interests me, I look down at my own fitting black shirt and see DISTRICT ONE printed across it. Districts are places I think. Looking around as we all sort of slowly make our way to the center of the room near the Cornucpia of survival supplies (why survival supplies I don't know but it doesn't help to calm my nerves) we all wear the same thing. Black shirts with District numbers on them with a band around our wrists. I suppose theirs have their name and age too like my own. Apollo. Pretty wicked name if you ask me. Each of the girls have their hair in different styles so I suppose that isn't part of the "uniform" as you can call it. Though a camoflouge jacket (one that seems it can do pretty darn good with keeping you warm) and the same pattern pants. Then big bulky brown leather combat boots. One that could go through any harsh terrain and make it through with not even a scratch. Don't ask how I know that, I just do. I know lots of things that I can't pair an explanation to. Like why I know every single name of every weapon scattered around the Cornucopia and how to use them easiest to kill someone. It seems just normal to me to know those things, even if it is unsettling.

Soon once we all kind of meet in the middle people on the other side of the Cornucopia go to this side so we all can see each other. I see District numbers all the way up to Twelve. Carefully looking around I notice that there are two people from every District number, female and male. I spot the girl also with District one plastered across her chest. She holds her head high sophisticatedly and has her hands on her hips. She is pretty and looks well kept, I guess from what I see I should categorize her as too fancy for her own good but something familiar about her keeps me from hating her.

Finally a voice breaks the silence. "So does anyone remember anything?" A male says. I glance to him. He might be considered what a girl thinks "hot" but even if I have yet to even see my hair color I know I'm more "hot" than him. The not so serious thinking is short lasted because looking around everyone shakes their heads.

"How about does anyone know what the Hunger Games is?" I ask desperate for someone to know something. How can so many people not remember anything? Other than that question bothering me that made me speak is I also didn't want to let that District Five kid take control of this conversation between all twenty four of us.

"No remember nothing means remembering nothing." A girl says with long golden colored hair. She has vivid green eyes and slight freckles and a thin scar on the side of her face. She looks eighteen and is from District Four according to her shirt.

"Well excuse me I just wanted to know what the hell is going." I comment back and before any yelling goes on a girl breaks the silence.

"Don't agrue1 What good will that do us?" She asks looking at us like we are the most ridiculous thing. She is a bit younger than me but I know this girl. I don't know how but like the girl from One something about her sparks something familiar in me, I have met her before. I think she might have been my friend or something like that. District Two. She wasn't the most goreagous. Not like District Five's female or whatever, she had dark curls and some freckles but her bright eyes stood out the most. She was short, I know her. I just know it.

"She is right you guys are being idiots." A boy says with ease staring at his fingers which had burn marks on them. He was pretty scrawny and short but his jacket hide it pretty well. His face has burn marks too, not the really bad kind the melted your face but the red kind of burn marks. He had grey eyes and dark scruffy hair. District Twelve. Despite his size I believe he is around my age.

Everyone looks at the boy slightly shocked to see him to be the one to call us idoits but the conversation quickly shifts to a dark skinned boy with a buzz cut from Eleven. "We should just get out of here." He comments. He seems like a quiet person but I can imagine why he would step out of his comfort zones to speak about getting out of this place.

It is really creepy.

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**_District Eleven_**

**_Willa, 15_**

A echo of mumbles spread across the crowd, no one argued with the idea of leaving. I don't want to move though, I just want to sit here and crawl into a ball hoping I will remember something, anything at all. I guess I should just be happy that whoever decided putting us all in this little dirt hole with no memories was kind enough to put our name and age on a band and our District on our shirts. Yet they won't tell us or have us rememeber what the Hunger Games are.

"Wait we can't leave without supplies." A girl says, and we all start walking to the supplies and before I get a chance to see just who the girl is that reminded us all to take supplies a long burst of pops and bangs burst through the air. Everyone screams and by instinct many get to the floor and cover their heads. Looking to the side panicked I see the little boy from Nine get caught in the circle of gun shots erupting from the floor and blood shoots up and the boy from Two has to pull the girl from Seven away so she doesn't get splattered with the little boy's blood. She stared at the boy's body and she seemed distant before but now her light green eyes seem to be in a whole other world. She doesn't seem to try to get herself from the boy's grasp as they and all the rest of us stare wide-eyed and open mouthed at the dead boy lying on the ground. I don't even know what triggered or how that circle of gun shots around us happened but the young boy got caught in the middle of it, the poor thing.

My heart aches from him, not just because he died but because he died at such a young age. Maybe before this all I had a little sibling or something, all I know is that I feel more now than ever like crawling into the fetal position. Then again I also want to get the hell out of this place.

Silence sweeps across us after the screams end. What kind of Game is this?

Weapons...

Killing…

Why does this seem all so familiar? My head desperately tries to remember but I can't. A cannon fires from somewhere distant, was that signaling this boy's death?

Someone is watching us?

No that is impossible. If someone was they would help us. Right?

Suddenly the creaking of gears roar and a hole appears just as the boy falls in and before any of us can get to it the hole shuts now just a slab of metal instead of dirt.

"This isn't funny anymore!" Someone calls out, that District Two boy who managed to remove the District Seven girl from getting covered in blood and guts. "People are dying here!" He calls out desperately.

Silence.

The silence stays for a while other than the heavy breaths filling up the room and making it even more hot in here.

"Well I don't really know, or care, what all of you are thinking but I am going to get going." A voice says and everyone glances at him and I force myself to look at others. Some seems not as affected as others, I bet my face looks rather dramatically effected compared to some people. The male who spoke looks in a way bored. Four. His hair is a mess, his expression bored. He also has scattered freckles on his face and he is extremely short though he looks maybe even as old as me.

"We need to stick together!" The male from Five says. A few people mutter in agreement or disagreement but most of us are still getting over the events that have happened so far.

"No we don't, you just want a chance to be the hero. Well guess what? I don't really care if you want that but I just don't want to be apart of you showing off." The boy responds cooly.

Things are not looking too good…

* * *

**_District Three_**

**_Emile, 18_**

"Hey don't talk to me like that! Arguing won't get us anywhere, neither will splitting up!' The District Five male cheers and I let out a sigh at these two.

"You can't control how he acts or what he says. If he wants to be the idoit to go on his own then let him, why do you care?" I ask the boy. I don't know why I dislike this boy but something about him just bothers me. I know nothing about his background and neither does he but something just tells me he is your average rich boy who wants attention and that annoys me. I don't know why, but then again I don't know much at the moment.

"So you are going to start too?" The boy says suddenly deciding to leave the short kid alone.

"No I agree with you, do you even listen?" I ask and he blushes red at it, someone even snickers at it. "I just think you should let him do his own thing and the rest of us can group together." After that it is the return of silence. In the midst of the silence I see that District One kid pick up a bag and throw it over his shoulders. In response I walk over staring him dead in the eyes and pick up a backpack of my own and pick up two knives, a pair, and put them in my belt.

"Why weapons?" The girl from Five asks. She has raven black hair and bright blue eyes all of it contradicting with her pale skin.

"Hunting, for food." I tell her. I guess that is a good reason but something inside me also just doesn't want to go weaponless. Instinct.

Suddenly everyone is moving and eventually I realize there are not twenty-four bags. There sure is a lot of surprise and once people realize that there isn't enough for everyone to have a weapon and so on people move with a certain rush feeling.

"Hey I grabbed this bag first." A girl says, from Four. She glares at the boy from Eight who releases the bag. He looks real creepy, gives me chills. He walks away and pick up something else that I don't bother to see. Once nearly all the supplies are gone everyone stares at each other everyone waiting for someone to be the first to ask. I can see some people glaring at people with more things than them. This is getting ridiculous.

"Well let's get moving." Someone says and without words people morph into groups, not anything explainable but I see more than just one group. Of course there is a lot of people that go with that District Five boy and as much as I hate him I force myself to join that group. Then there is that District Four kid all by himself glaring at anyone who looks at him funny. Then I see the District Twelve boy standing with the little girl from Three and a few other people.

I know we will get divided into more than these two groups and that weird Four kid but for now this it.

The thing is as much as that Two boy likes to scream at whoever is behind this in hope suddenly things will be called off I have a feeling things are not going to be that easy.

And even more I don't think anyone is going to be saving us, we are completely and utterly on our own.

* * *

**_District Four_**

**_Serene, 18_**

I hold the backpack over my shoulders, I worked hard to get it and the trident in my hands too. That creepy District Eight kid just backed off giving me that weird look. What a freak. I guess I should just ignore him but he holds a weapon and frankly I don't think that kid should be trusted with anything sharp. I just get a bad feel from him. I get a bad feel from a lot of people in this group along with that show off from Five. Okay so he is good-looking but that doesn't just make him automatically some kind of god that gets to led us all to "safety" for all we know he could be behind this. Sighing I watch as that other group starts heading to one of the exits. The room has a few possible exits. One being a dark winding tunnel with a stone path and the one the other big group goes to is a ladder that leads upward to some kind of door on the ceiling of this mud room. The last one is too dark to see and that District Four boy is heading towards it so that leaves the tunnel to our group.

"Well let's head through the tunnel and hope it leads to ground level." The District Five boy says and everyone seems too worn down from all the events going on that we all just go along with it all of us walking away from the Cornucopia and the other groups, full of people I might not ever see again, and towards the dark tunnel. The thing looked creepy as hell but we didn't really have a choice. At the head of the group is our unofficial leader.

Once inside the tunnel it is too dark to see so we stop before continuing trying to come up with someway that we could possibly light the way through the tunnel. "Anyone have a match?" The District Two boy says and the District Seven girl that seems to has been stuck to the boy's side ever since he pulled her out of the way of blood responds. I think she is kind of messed up somehow. Well she pulls out a match from a box in her jacket and he lights it and then holds it against a stick he got on the ground creating a torch. A muscular kid from Eleven does the same and dim light spreads through the hall.

We begin to walk again and our "leader" makes small talk that no one replies to. "How about we start with names?" He says and even I don't disagree with the idea. After that we go around in a circle saying our names and I try my best to remember them because calling people by their District is getting really annoying. Then it gets to me and I remember again what the band across my wrist says.

"Serene." I say crossing my arms with the trident still tightly grasped in my clutches. The thing caught my eye.

Then the boy from District Ten speaks, he had darker skin kind of like the shade of the District Eleven girl who stands next to him. "Elliot Florence." He says and the Eleven girl blinks confused.

"Willa Florence…" She whispers trailing off.

"You guys have the same last name, ironic." The Apollo kid from One says and I decide to hold back any sarcastic comments I wish to throw his way for mentioning something so obvious.

"Well maybe they are long lost descendants, honestly why does it matter we should just get out of here." I say, that wasn't really sarcastic maybe a little too sassy or whatever but it had to be said.

"Great well now that we know each names it will be easier to communicate with each other." The District Five kid, Jacob but he just went with Jake (he can't remember his life but he can remember his nickname), says to change the subject and we all give small nods. The group is too large for discussions of things anyway.

The path is long and cold and ever so often a bit of dirt falls from the ceiling hitting someone who will then curse under their breaths or if it someone like the boy from Eight or the girl from Twelve they just ignore it. Whenever dirt hits me I quickly wipe it off making sure to throw a few curses out.

As if the Earth could hear me a big chunk of dirt falls into my blonde hair and a curse escapes my lips and the girl- Carmen- from One glares at me. "Do you have a lady-like bone in your body?" She says holding her chin up high.

"What is up your-

"Stop1" The boy from Two says his brown hair a good kind of a good messy and his blue eyes looking at us both desperate for us to not argue. He stands ahead near Jake and they both stand by a big oak door on the ceiling, the ground near it a little closer to the ceiling than where I stand but it will still require some upper arm strength to lift yourself up. One by one we get up and I stand by the time deciding to go last.

I reach the entrance and the light hits the District Two girl, Rowan, as she offers me her hand. "I'm fine." I mutter lifting myself up the the ground.

Cold.

I think that first, not freezing Winter cold but a chilly fall. Makes me hold my jacket close to my body. I look around as does everyone else. Sparse trees with bear branches that extend up into the cloudy sky, the ground scattered with fallen tree branches and dead leaves. Suddenly I realize we might be in a much worse situation than I first believed, and so far lot of complicating things have happened. Now though? Now I realize how deserted we all are. Well this problematic.

* * *

-A/N- Man look at that completely original and unpredictable ending to our first chapter! XD I know and I promise that "amazing" ending won't be something in every chapter. Anyway what do you guys think? Hopefully the grammar wasn't awful I tried to look over it best I can (I'm not good with grammar). I know some of you are question the groups but I promise what you said will be important, just remember that they don't know they all have to kill each other (yet) so unless you are Avery they are unlikely to just go on their own. Just have some patience.

Also Rian was mine, he was invented to be killed off the poor kid. Anyway remember to review it is the nice thing to do and if you never review your tribute won't be getting far. Sorry that is only fair though. Lastly sorry if your tribute wasn't mentioned yet they will be soon and no deaths will happen for a little bit so don't worry about your tribute dying before they get a part. Here is a list for you that are curious.

P.S. for readers of Shattered Memories I am sorry for the delay, explanation will be in that upcoming chapter which should be up before the new year :)

Alliance One

Apollo- District One

Carmen- District One

Rowan- District Two

Percy- District Two

Emile- District Three

Serene- District Four

Jake- District Five

Larissa- District Five

Helena- District Seven

Heather- District Eight

Jayde- District Nine

Elliot- District Ten

Willa- District Eleven

Crowe Merrik- District Eleven

Imogene- District Twelve

Lurex- District Eight

Alliance Two

Terra- District Three

Ruana- District Eight

Algernon- District Six

Joel- District Seven

Miyu- District Nine

Tolbert Davies- District Twelve

Alliance Three (If you even count this an alliance)

Avery- District Four


	4. Chapter 4 Whatever Comes Next

**A/N-Hey guys before you read this chapter just let me say it might seem as if some of you might think your character isn't really represented as well as you like well I apologize for that but I can't have all the tributes the same, I need some to be different. Especially when in an alliance certain people need to play certain roles. For this story I got a LOT of quiet tributes, well not everyone can be quiet so I might have altered your tribute a bit to benefit the story but if you see and serious issues with it just tell me.**

**Chapter Four**

**Whatever Comes Next**

**Day One**

District Twelve

Tolbert, 18

"What is this place?" I hear the girl from Nine whisper in disbelief. I look around at them; they all look smart I guess. Which is good. I might not know a thing about my past but I do know that I value that kind of thing. They all seem rather quiet. Especially the females seem to be sinking into the background. I look around once more, this time at our surroundings.

A forest, a forest stuck in winter for sure. There is dead leaves squashed against the ground from rain and time leaving the trees bare and the air is crisp and chilly. A little bit more like fall temperature but defiant winter looking forest. I give a scratch to my arm and feel a small burn and look down. A burn mark.

It is strange to not know who you are or how you got to some random place where a child has already been killed but somehow the thing that really bugs me is having these scratches and burn marks scattered on my body and have absolutely no clue where they are from. They aren't fire burns though, what I mean by that is that is seems no one sticks matches to my skin. The burns look like they are from explosions, that type of fire. I guess though I am just assuming there is even a difference.

I hear the last person come out of the hole that we escaped from onto ground level and see that District Six kid, real solider like appearance. He stood tall with perfect posture and looked around cautiously. Real canny, that is obvious to see. The type who would very well leave us if it means his survival. I guess I would do the same but I would feel guilt leaving all these kids by themselves.

"Should we start with names?" I ask looking around. I have to force myself to talk. Standing back and letting others talk seems to fit me more but someone needs to talk.

"Might as well." The District Six girl says and glances toward the Nine girl who was staring at her. I wonder why. I try to dissect the emotions on Nine's face but she is already looking away and to the ground and she kick a dead leaf. "Ruana," Six says. I nod and glance towards Nine who looks up as the rest of us look at her waiting.

"Miyu," She says and we all give small nods.

"Joel," The boy from Seven says.

We give a look to the small girl from Three, how did we all end up in this strange place? I don't know but something isn't right about it and to think of eighteen year olds like myself here is sad but to think of someone who is probably just thirteen being her makes me sick to my stomach. Same goes with Ruana who while she has a little bit of a more mature face and body probably is fourteen. Whoever is behind this is sick. "Terra," District Three says.

Finally all that is left is the boy from Six, the miniature solider I like to say. Well he isn't miniature but he is still just a teenager like the rest of us. "Algernon." He says adjusting the backpack on his shoulder from the pressure of being under our peering eyes.

I look around. I managed a bag along with Algernon, Ruana, and Joel but I don't see us with much. I am sure the rest have things shoved into the inside of their jackets but it is important we get some kind of plan for whatever comes next.

* * *

District Seven

Helena, 15

The soft hiss of the chilled wind rings through my ears as I play with the soft fabric of the extra pair of socks I retrieved. I was startled, weak, at the moment. While Percy pulled me out of the way of most of the blood my boots still are splattered with some blood from the young boy. Every time I look down I see it and I run it over and over again in my head panicked and just wishing for the memory to leave me alone.

I got the socks, which I guess can be useful maybe to protect my hands from the chilly atmosphere we have been dropped into, and then a canteen of water and a small vile of liquid that I don't even know what is other than it is a strange color and when I took off the top to get a whiff I cringed. I don't know what it is but I don't think it is good. What good does that do me? It won't cut up firewood and it won't hunt down food for the group, if anything it might give someone a sick stomach. I regret being weak but there was something in that moment I was beyond control of.

Even a small portion of it was Percy, I looked at him and he seemed nice but somehow that seemed wrong. Like I knew him before this and he wasn't very nice. I got some other emotions from other people too.

But no memories, it is useless.

I give a sigh and sit down on the floor covered in dead leaves. I look around; Percy is next to my side. I guess I kind of hover around him. Pretty pathetic but he interests me. That isn't very logical and I know that but somehow I just don't care. Already in the ten minutes I have managed to calm down from that boy being killed and all I have thought about is myself. Well not in that way, I just worry about myself. I don't think I am completely right in the head yet I have no reason or fact to back it up either than a gut feeling.

My gut also tells me to dislike Jake. I glance at him as he stands up holding his supplies. "We need to find civilization." He says gesturing his hands dramatically in the air to emphasis his point.

"Why bother?" I whisper under my breath twirling a strand of blonde hair.

"Why bother? What do you mean our lives are on stake here there has to be civilization." Jake says.

"You're wrong, there is no hope." I mutter and a few people in the group give uneasy glances towards me. It fells so natural.

"We have to try though, we have to look on the bright side."

"Look just leave it be she was just saying it isn't like anyone is objecting." Percy says rolling his eyes I tell myself I should smile at him in thanks after all he has been nice. So why wouldn't I?

I turn around forcing a thin smile at Percy. I am such a pain, such a bore, I can't even smile. That is pretty sad.

What messed me up this bad? Honestly I just don't understand and maybe I never will. The others all act as if we will get our memories back but to be frank I am not that sure we will. That just seems to be the sad truth.

"So we should start walking now, we just got out of the tunnels but we need to find somewhere before dark. Even if it is just to keep us all safe until morning." Jake says.

"Yeah we get it, you are so smart and superior to us blah blah blah." Serene says looking bored.

"Hey someone has already died today, so what if this guy is getting annoying? At least he is trying to help." Rowan from Two says sneering at the District Four girl.

"Don't fight, just don't" Emile says shaking his head.

"He's right." Clarrissa says, the District Five girl says, I'm surprised. So far all she has said is her name. Well I guess there is a start for everything.

"So we all agree? We head off tonight?" Jake asks.

"Duh," Apollo mutters and we all get to our feet and adjust our things to carry before we all head off.

In all directions.

"This is going to be a problem isn't it?" Percy whispers in my ear. I nod- great one more thing to argue about.

* * *

**District Four**

**Avery, 16**

I didn't grab much with when I left. I didn't need those fools, the first time they all met each other and all they did was argue. Somehow I know I am just better off alone. Even if this place is creepy as hell. The stairs are endless it seems as the spiral upwards and with each step I feel a little bit of me get more and more tired.

Too bad this backpack isn't much lighter, though I am glad for the supplies it holds. A blanket (which I guess will keep me warm or whatever), a knife, some jerky, a box of matches, and an empty water canteen with a few small little tablets I assume are used to purify water.

As if I felt this staircase was endless I nearly gasp in delight when I see the door with a small sliver of light coming from the gap between the floor and the bottom of the door. Smiling I open the door to reveal the dimly lighted hallway. I blink curiously my mind already racing with thoughts. This place sure is strange, but that is the best part I believe. I walk into the hallway and shut the door closing off the staircase and look around. There is two dim lights on each side of the wall at the beginning but from here on the hallway is dark.

The floor is carpeted and looks covered in stains and dirt, even a dirt footstep imprinted in the carpet that acts as a ghost to this place's past. There is a small table shoved against the wall and I make my way to it to get a closer look.

Running my hands across it my fingertips pick up the dust. I turn away wiping my hands on my rather ridiculous looking jacket before heading into the hallway. I stop in my tracks though and glance to the light.

I thought there was something weird about that light. I carefully take of the colored glass covering it to reveal a candle, not a light bulb.

A candle, it looks only moderately used but there isn't much wax currently melted. Freshly lit? I pick it up to light my path as I venture the only way I can- further into the hallway.

With the thought of the freshly lit candles on my mind I grasp my knife in my hand. Whoever is here obviously isn't in their right mind if they leave their house covered in dirt, dust, and stains some a scarlet red.

Blood perhaps?

It seems too strange and too unbelievably yet a certain familiarity picks at the back of my head.

Just as I finally see two doors, one slightly open and the other shut tight, I can also see the railing that stops you from falling. I must be on an upper floor then. That leaves me three choices.

Then I hear a loud inhumane growl shatter the silence and replace it with a new sense of fear in me. And curiosity. I shake my head, I refuse to die but I still hope to get a good look. It comes from the floor below and I hear the rapid footsteps up the stairs and in a moment of panic I lunge towards the closed door.

Locked.

Great that leaves me with one option. I push the already open door and shut it tightly behind me just as I hear the footsteps get much closer, the sound changing. The thing (whatever the thing is) is getting closer and closer. Can it smell me?

I give a glance around the hope in hope that it cannot smell my scent or have good enough hearing to hear my shallow breaths. The room is nearly empty except for a table with a vintage looking lamp and a piano shoved into the corner with the keys a yellow color. And windows, pacing over to the windows I look down to see an outside world of bare trees. It must be cold. Well that explains the outfit being more mindset towards the cold.

I don't know if that thing could hear me or smell me or even just sense my presence but somehow it found me. Knocking the door in with one attempt I see a disgusting beast. Like man but covered in long shaggy hair standing up on two feet. It growls showing off yellow sharp teeth before coming forward. I curse grabbing my knife and as it approaches I sink the knife into the chest area hoping one thing human about the thing is where its heart is. A black blood spills from the wound and onto the knife and my hands as I twist the knife. I want it dead to live and I know I should be scared but something about this beast sparks interest in me.

I want to know how it works, how much of it is beast and how much human. My heart skips a few beats in slight excitement. I'm not insane, I am just curious.

Just as I am surprised by how quickly the beast goes limp I have a though roam in my head. Nothing wrong with being curious right?

* * *

**District Five**

**Clarrissa, 17**

Some of the others have been chilled to the bone and holding their jackets tightly against their bodies, or if they were one of the lucky ones they hold a blanket tightly around themselves. I don't mind the cold though; it isn't Winter cold after all. Somewhere around late Autumn, not Winter though. I managed a blanket, not a bag but a spare blanket I found wrapped around a dagger and a canteen of water. It isn't much but it is what I managed. By the time I forced myself to get at least something most of it was already gone, except some things like swords and a bow and arrow no one found use in, so I grabbed the blanket not realizing it had the dagger. The dagger is smaller than some of its kind but it is still dangerous. That is why I have it wrapped tightly in the blanket that I hold protectively in my arms. The water in my inside pocket on my jacket.

We have been traveling for a while it seems, no one has any sort of device to track the time I have been watching the sun. Of course I can't get an exact time but I think the sun will be going down in a few hours. What happens then I don't know. I sigh and push my black hair behind my ear with my cold pale fingers and continue walking a bit faster to catch up with the group.

"So Clarrissa right?" A voice says and I jump a bit and look up at Jake. He stands near me towering over me, I might not be as short as some of the others in the group at, I think I am maybe 5'5, but Jake is defiantly tall. Just your typical cute guy appearance, blonde hair with a good build and tall. Maybe that is why I don't like him. I don't mind that he has taken over as leader or that he has come to talk to me, after all he is probably just trying to be friendly and some of the others talk too, but for some reason I have a slight dislike for him that I feel while I don't even know exactly why I know it is strong.

And why do I feel so frightened around this kid?

"Yeah," I stumble. He makes me nervous, not because I am crushing on him or anything but because of that gut feeling inside of me that tells me to be nervous around him.

"This is insane right?" He says and I nod. "If you don't want to talk we don't have to." He says following a few moments of silence.

I shake my head. "No it isn't that… it is just…" I trail off, it isn't just Jake though. I feel most nervous around him but it is some others too.

"So should I add you to my list of girls falling for me?" He says with a smirk.

That is a little arrogant. I think to myself. I scoff a bit of anger unleashing from his comment. "Sorry but no." I say glancing at him, but I can't manage to look him in the eyes.

"I'm just joking, thought it would lighten the mood." He says with a shrug and it is silent again.

Then I decide to push past the silence I had come to enjoy to ask him something that has been bothering me. "You said girls before, who else is on this 'list' of yours?"

He glances towards the girl from Ten, Jayde. "Jayde, I think, well hey I guess you can say I got charm."

"I would beg to differ." I spit out.

He blinks in shock. "Look I am sorry Larrissa I didn't mean to bother you I just wanted things to be happier you know?" He says and he makes a fatal mistake. He reaches out to rest his hand on my shoulder. I slap his hand away quickly out of instinct before I even know what I am doing.

"Leave me alone." I say in a low tone not wanting to make a scene.

"I'm sorry I didn't know you have a problem with being touched, I just thought we both are from Five and you were familiar somehow to me." He says.

I sigh, "Sorry I just don't like being touched. Please if you want to make friends then maybe you should just go to Jayde, I think your right she really does seem to like you." I say and he just nods walking away looking shocked.

I don't know what came over me, it just did. And though I don't understand, it doesn't matter, I guess now I know one more thing about myself.

* * *

**District Six**

**Algernon, 16**

"We aren't getting anywhere, what is the point of all this?" Joel comments frustrated and looking worn out. He didn't seem like a bad guy but he didn't understand that we all should be focused on survival. Being snarky, sarcastic, or even dramatic isn't good for anyone in this group. Not that Joel has been complaining often but all the comments complaining have been getting on my nerve.

"Look guys I don't know about you but I am going to do anything to survive out here, we need to be serious here." I say glancing at everyone. I'm not heartless, I feel bad for Terra for being scared but Ruana is just one year older and isn't having any trouble.

"You know this isn't the army, just loosen up would you?" Miyu comments coming to a stop along with Ruana, the two girls had been talking for a while.

"I'm just saying I much rather have sore legs and be in safety than be resting and dying out here." I comment staying with calm.

"We won't die out here will we?" Terra says her eyes wide and looking around at all of us.

"No we won't." Miyu answers her with a smile.

"You can't promise that." I comment and Miyu glares at me.

"That Rian kid did get killed." Tolbert says in agreement with me.

Ruana looks at the both of us. "Just pretend okay?" She asks.

"Why she is thirteen, she is being a baby." Joel comments.

Terra glares at him now, "I'm not a baby!"

"Stop this!" Tolbert glares looking at us all. Then he glances to me. "You should know best that arguing will get us nowhere." He says, I am slightly surprised but I figure he is just trying to keep things under control. I nod, I want to say 'Who said I was arguing' but even I know that won't do a thing to help.

"Sorry Terra I know you aren't a baby," Joel says folding his arms. "But I am right when I say that you are thirteen and even if you are the youngest we all need to stay strong if we won't to get through this." He says. I look at him surprised. He glares at me the happy expression on his face already gone. "What? I can be smart you know!" He says.

"I see," I comment and as the silence in the group returns I glance up at the sky getting darker by the moment. "And I do think we should find somewhere safe to stay for the night, traveling at dark is a bad idea." I say and everyone nods and I must admit it is nice to have things calmed down.

"I saw a cave a quarter mile back, it might not be a good idea but it might be worth a shot." Miyu says.

Tolbert shrugs, "Worth a shot."

* * *

**District Nine**

**Jayde, 16**

The dark was creeping slowly over us all, I don't know how the time pasted so quickly but it did. "We should rest for the night, I am pretty sure everyone is exhausted from everything so far today." Percy comments glancing at Jake. Jake has become the leader it seems, not that I mind. I think some people like Serene, Emile, and maybe that Apollo kid mind but Jake is best for the job. I just know it.

He is just the leader type. "Agreed," Jake says to Percy.

"I'm not tired." Serene comments folding her arms.

Emile rolls his eyes. "Being tired physically isn't exactly what we should be worried about, it is mentally." He says. He has a point; after all we did see a little kid die and we are short on memories. "After all amnesia can take affect on you, unless anyone was lying about their state of mind." He says and people glance around the circle. He was wrong to say it though; we can't be paranoid of each other. I know for sure I my memories are blank and I am just going to trust the others are being honest too.

"We should start a fire." A voice says. Everyone glances towards the voice. Imogene, the girl who hasn't said a word yet. Yeah some of the people here are more quiet than others, like that Clarrissa girl Jake was talking to earlier but she talked once and a while and at least seemed friendly. Imogene seemed like she would bite anyone who came near her. Her straight black hair falling into her face often, she reminded me of that other kid from Twelve except her skin is lighter, but they both had black hair and gray eyes. But hearing her speak her tone is much different than I expected- not angry or snarky at all.

"She speaks!" Carmen comments, well that is much less nice than something I expected from her. From Serene? Yes, but not Carmen.

"That isn't not very nice." Crowe from Eleven says, he has that kind of thing I see in Jake. Crowe just seems like the type of guy that would help someone if he saw someone in trouble. Just like he stands of for Imogene now.

Carmen sighs, "Maybe it wasn't very lady-like of me." She says looking down. Lady-like?

"Well lets just focus on what she actually said and not that she said something." Rowan from Two comments folding her arms. "Anyone have matches?" She asks looking around and Apollo who was standing near her pulls out a pack of matches. "Great now we just need fire wood."

The group spends a few moments gathering fire wood that wasn't damp or anything, it wasn't that hard with a large amount of people looking. In enough time we had a rather pathetic looking pile of sticks.

"Move the leaves out of the way guys or else they will catch fire too, we don't want this forest burning down after all." I comment and then a few people go to clear the ground of leaves around the pile of sticks and when that is all down Rowan attempts along with Apollo to light up a fire.

"That was smart, it could have turned pretty ugly if this place caught on fire." Jake says surprisingly me with his presence. I blush a scarlet red.

"Thanks I am sure someone would have thought of it though anyway." I stumble with a smile.

"How humble of you," he comments as Apollo and Rowan manage to get a fire going just as the night settles upon the forest giving an orange glow around the fire.

Maybe there really is hope, maybe.

* * *

**District Eight**

**Lurex, 18**

Everyone is settling in for the night. My eyes closed and my ears filled with the small chatter from the others and my fingers brushing against the knife tucked in my jacket. I didn't manage to get my hands on a lot, too distracted. I decided getting the sword or bow and arrow left behind would bring attention to myself, can't let that.

The thing is people might think you act like a total creep, that is me after all. I realize that now. Just that kid in the corner with the Mohawk (not a large tall one, just where part of my hair is shaved off and then my Mohawk is just normal) if you had to pick out someone you thought would be a total psychopath you would say them but so many people show signs of murderer tendency, only some go through with it. I do my best to be intimidating, but to have it as if I wouldn't go through with murder.

When I saw that kid though… while everyone looked away in disgust I discovered something about myself. I love blood.

Looking around I see a group of three containing Apollo, Carmen, and Rowan. Then Jake and Jayde sat together tending to the fire. Imogene sat in the silently looking into the fire and Heather and Emile both were alone too. Other than those three people all the rest found groups to talk to. Even Clarrissa was talking to Willa and Elliot.

The night is dawning upon us, and what lies in store for tomorrow I don't know. Things are strange, that is something none of us can deny. As much as it seems sticking together would be smart ever instinct from my past that I can't even remember tells me to leave now, or at least have some fun drawing some blood. I don't know what is going on but I feel like we are breaking all the rules by all being together, so calmly.

I just keep wondering what these people have in store for us; I know people are behind this. Any intelligent person should have figured it out by now. I just wonder why they are doing this all.

Or if they are simply doing it out of boredom.

* * *

A/N- FINALLY DONE :) Sorry for the long wait guys hopefully this makes up for it. And like I said before sorry if you expected your character to be a little shyer than I made them, but would you guys rather have more shy characters speaking up or have it just be a bunch of awkward silence? Also excuse the fact some characters haven't got a chance to shine yet; it is hard to do when it is a large group discussion though.

Well remember to leave a review because it is only fair that those who review should have their characters live longer than those who don't. If you review I know you are reading along and cheering on your tribute, if you don't for all I know you abandoned you tribute. Though the first to go will be the double submissions. But I don't have more than one of those so that doesn't mean much…


	5. Chapter 5 Is That All You Got?

_**Chapter Five**_

_**Is that All You Got?**_

_**Day One**_

District Six

Ruana, 14

The soft crackling sound of the fire Algernon managed to get going is the background noise to the night, the glow from it casting a force field of light that seemed to just protect us all within it though we all know all it does is provide light. Whatever this forest's night contains will not be frighten off by it yet still it makes me feel more comfortable.

Besides it also kept me warm when the cold night made me shiver beyond my wits with only a dainty blanket to keep me warm. The thing wasn't even thick though; it was just like a sheet. It did help with some of the wind though. Still I feel ready to freeze. Looking around I can see the other trying to be stealthy as they eat whatever food they managed from the supplies we got. I didn't manage a bag but I didn't go empty handed. Other than the bag I got a can of nuts, gauze, and a dagger. It wasn't much and the dagger look like it would have trouble doing most but it is some kind of protection. Yet it seems to weigh ten pounds in my inside coat pocket.

Removing the can of nuts I pick up a few and toss them into my mouth savoring the small amount of salt coating the nuts before chewing on the mouthful.

"You look cold," a whisper says and I turn to see Miyu. The older girl from Nine. She has a sleeping bag. I think she was one of the lucky few that managed a bag.

I nod trying to avoid too much eye contact. I don't know why but trusting easily in such a situation like this seems dangerous.

"You can share mine I don't mind, after all you're just a kid you shouldn't be left out too freeze." She says with a smile.

"I have a blanket and I am fourteen you know." I say worried if it sounds a bit ungrateful. Words never have been my thing.

"And I am seventeen, so to me you are young enough that you don't deserve just some pitiful blanket. I don't bite." Miyu says. I am surprised, after all she seemed like the more reserved type, maybe she is. She doesn't even truly know me other than from what the things we talked about walking before we decided to make camp here for the night and yet she treats me like a sister or something. I smile.

"Thank you." I say and we both climb into the sleeping bag and I instantly feel warmer.

"You remind me of someone I know." Miyu says suddenly.

I look up at her with wide eyes nearly jumping up. "You remember something?" I ask excited and maybe too loud. "Do you think we could have known each other?"

She shakes her head and says loud enough for the rest to hear. "No sorry still empty but you just seem familiar. I don't think we knew each other though. I figure you just resemble someone I know before all of this." She says and I perk back down a little disappointed.

"Whatever this is." I comment.

"Things will get better, they have to." She says putting her arm around my shoulder as we both stare at the fire. "Though I guess right now we should just get some sleep and in the morning we can figure everything out and maybe tomorrow we will even get some memories back." She says beaming with a smile.

I nod, "I hope so."

District Eleven

Willa, 15

"What do you got there?" I hear Willa ask me and look up at her. She was a nice girl for sure. She has a year on me but you would never know by just looking at us. She was a fair height of course but I have an inch on her. We share the same last name which is fairly ironic just because we both have dark skin but hers is more similar looking to Crowe's in my opinion, but then again I don't even know what my face looks like and all I got is from what people have told me.

After glancing up at her I glance down at the pencil of a knife in my fingers. In the rush I just put a bunch of stuff in my pockets without a thought and I was just examining it.

"A knife, not much of one though." I say with a shrug.

She nods sitting down next to me and we both glance at the small group trying to get a fire going while other do various things. Some even set traps to catch us all some food, after all it might be a while until someone finds us. Or we find people. I am not sure how they all know how to do these things but it is just that mechanical part of our brains I guess, no the memory part. Still it seems natural for everyone to know how to make a fire or set a trap.

"How many people does it take to start a fire?" Willa whispers in my ear.

"Apparently five." I comment and she gives a small laugh.

Her smile and joyful laugh doesn't last long. Her face gets serious again rather quickly. "Yeah well I hope those ten hands can get a bonfire going because it is freezing."

Nodding in agreement I continue. "And I hope one of those traps catches something because a can of nuts won't last me long."

"You got food? Lucky." Willa says.

"And water, how about you?" I ask, I don't think it is too big of an issue she has no food though. After all I can always share my food with her and so can the rest of the group.

"A pair of socks and a big box of matches, but I lent it to Jayde to use." She says and we before glance towards Jayde who has the box in her hands. She of course is helping out with the fire, after all Jake is there. I don't want to judge her because we are teens after all but having a major crush on someone doesn't seem like the best thing to do at a time like this.

"You should get it back once they get the fire going." I tell her, I don't know why because after all we are all a group so it doesn't really matter but somehow I don't take it back. I let the comment sink in.

Willa looks surprised at first but then nods in agreement. I guess we both share that emotion of slight distrust. I think I can trust Willa, I think I can trust lots of the people here but still it hasn't even been twenty four hours yet. We can't just be reckless.

District One

Carmen, 16

My comfort zone was long gone hours ago, but _this _is my limit. There is no way he can be serious. But he is. He stands in front me a huge proud smile as he holds up the _dead _body of a squirrel.

I screech moving away from Apollo as he bursts out laughing disrupting the calm tone of the area. I glare at him. "That is disgusting!" I comment cringing at the disgusting sight. Boys, why do they have to be so disgusting?

"No this is dinner." Apollo says swinging it around no bothered at the least. What in the world is wrong with him?

Crossing my arm I say, "Well you can be a gross boy and swing around that poor animal's dead body but I am going to be an actual lady and stay away."

The rest of the group stays quiet all their peering eyes focused on us. Rowan laughing.

"Oh really what food did you get from before?" Apollo says putting his free hand on his hip. "Come on answer." He adds after a moment of silence.

I sigh, "I got a first aid bag and water."

"No food then, well I guess you will being eating this then." He comments smiling leaving me standing there and going of to Jayde and Jake who are tending the fire.

I sigh and plop down on the disgusting dirt ground. This is a nightmare, how can all of them take this so easily? I mean I have had to pee for like forever but there is no way I am going here.

"Look there has to be civilization Carmen we just have to deal with this for another day or two." Rowan says looking sympathetically at me and moves over to my spot on the ground. She managed a bag and she probably got food. She can't possible understand what it is like to know that your only food source is some disgusting squirrel meat.

I ignore her looking straight ahead.

She pulls out something from her bag and hands it to me, a cracker. I blink surprised and take it eating it quickly. I can't deny I was really hungry. I sigh, "Thank you Rowan I am sorry but this is all so gross. Thank you for the food though." I say trying to hold up my manners. And maybe Rowan isn't that bad, not exactly the most ladylike but she is more so the Serena from Four so I ought to give her credit.

She laughs, "No problem. Look we deal with this then we can go home. Where ever home is, get back our memories hopefully or at least back to our lives."

"Do you honestly think it is that simple?" A voice says, Apollo. He doesn't exactly look like his usual charming self at the moment.

"What do you mean?" Rowan asks.

"Someone put us all here, all suffering from amnesia, and gave us supplies and weapons and all that. I think there is more to our situation." He says.

It takes a moment to settle but it does, why I never truly thought that way before is easy to understand. It was something I wasn't ready to accept, but now I am. And it means trouble.

District Twelve

Imogene,17

Leaning back on the tree trunk I look up into the sky full of stars. The sky is so beautiful and the forest too, all of it holds something familiar to me. I hope where I live the sky is as beautiful as it here. But somehow when I try to picture what my home might look like all I picture is a starless sky. I wish so badly I could remember where I live and if I have family. I suppose I must but I am not so sure about friends.

Everyone is settled for the night and Serene is passed out near the glowing fire. I crave the warmth it emits but I still choose to evacuate to the darker portion of our little circle we all have created for our group. I have thoughts of getting up and marching over to someone, anyone in particular, and talking but each time I do I get all panicked and nervous and all sort of unfortunate thoughts race through my head. So I gave up, for now.

Biting my lips in frustration I listen to the small chatter trying to make words out of the hushed talking as they try not to wake up those lucky enough to fall asleep. I don't think I can manage a wink of sleep tonight.

Helena and Percy talk, Helena's sight drifting to and from different things while talking. She seems insane if you ask me, but not in the creepy way like Spurex who has just been giving those mad smiles to anyone he catches glancing his way. I made the mistake of looking at him earlier and refuse to do it again. Percy and Helena are a weird little group but somehow it is sweet. After all Helena like myself is so small and fragile like while Percy is monstrous looking.

At the thought of my bony self I twirl a strand of black hair. I don't have a clue what color my eyes are because I haven't gotten the guts to ask someone what color they are like nearly everyone else has done. But my hair is black and my skin is slightly tan but nothing compared to some of the others.

I hear a small cracking sound like someone stepped on a twig and look in the direction where Clarrissa sits near Heather, they both don't look like they have moved lately and both are quiet, I must have just heard wrong. In attempt to calm myself down I retrieve the supplies I got. Not much. A switchblade, some medicine, and no food or water that left me hungry. The thing that really interested me that I got was a small container full of pills. I don't know what they do but I keep finding myself with it in my fingers staring intently at the orange container and then before I know it I have one small cylinder pill in my hands close to my as I try to figure out what it just might do. The truth is though, I won't know what it does until I use it.

District Two

Percy, 18

Fiddling with a not lighten match in my fingers I sneak a peek at the pitchfork near me. The thing could be could for hunting, but I fear even if I get the animal it will be too messed up from the pitchfork impacting it that there won't be enough meat to meat. Still I guess there is there is always the protection side, after all there could be wolves or other predators hiding in the shadows ready to seek the right moment to attack us.

"Did you get food?" Helena asks me her green eyes meeting mine and she has her head to the side a bit. She is quirky but that is interesting I think, I felt bad for her when she nearly got covered in that little kid's blood. Don't get me wrong I also feel awful for that kid because that death didn't need to happen but still I am glad I was able to get her out of the way in time.

I nod, "just a package of crackers. You?"

She shakes her head. "No… well it isn't food exactly but it is something you can eat. I just don't think you would want to but I did get water." She says smiling slightly.

"What did you mean about the food thing though?" I ask curious.

She looks nervously to the others as if she fears they might hear us and leans close to me and whispers. "I think it is poison."

I blink in shock and she sits back to where she was before. "How do you know?"

She shrugs, "it is a strange color and I think I might have known of that kind of stuff before all of this. Maybe as a career type thing you know? Maybe I was a nurse or something." She says smiling like she likes that thought.

_Career…_

The word bothers me sending chills up and down my spine my skin feeling strange. I know what she meant, a career as in a job. Yet the word seems to have another meaning that I can attach to myself I just am not sure how.

Helena looks up at me worried. "Are you okay Percy?" She asks, she might be strange but she isn't a fool.

"Uh…" I trail off to focused in my thought.

Careers.

They are people, I am a Career. But why does it matter? What is a Career and why do I care?

I can feel a memory, knowledge, dawning upon me but breaking me from the bridge of discovering it I hear a loud roar. Screams shatter the silence and everyone looks at a disturbing beast emerging from the shadows. I don't know what it is, no one seems to do. The expressions all mixed with fear, shock, and confusion to what this disgusting beast is. Almost out of instinct I grab the pitchfork from the ground.

The thing roars again getting ready to charge towards Imogene, she pulls out a switchblade but it will be like a toothpick compared to the giant beast. Just as it is about to move Emile strikes it in the back with a knife scarlet blood tumbling out. Emile twists the knife before yanking it out blood dripping from it. He looks shock a little unsure of what he even did.

The thing roars half in pain half in anger. It turns around buts now it has given us all some time to gather our thoughts. Jake has grabbed his weapon making his way towards it and calls out to it.

I remind myself of the weapon in my own hands and at first I want to run, but I remind myself of everyone here and Helena. I can't let them all die.

That means it is time for battle.

District Five

Jake, 17

Lots of things have been on my mind lately. If our group is going to surprise, why Clarrissa hates me so much, and if there were going to be wolves or mountain lions in this forest. But this thing? It doesn't look real, I know that much. I also know that when Emile stabbed that thing in the back it should have been dead but while it looks weaker it stays is pissed off looking as well. I can see Percy behind me ready to back me up and I know more will hopefully help. After all if we don't get this thing killed we all could drop dead right here and now.

I hold my Scythe tightly suddenly very glad I picked it up as the beast ran towards me and I sank it into the place where its hurt should be. It was like a man, walking on two feet. But it was covered in long shaggy fur with red eyes that didn't have any pupil, which makes no sense but it seems to see good enough. It had many jagged fangs and its face was sort of like a wolf's. I feel blood drip onto my hand but I continue to hold it in place. It stay doesn't collapse though.

Frustrated and suddenly panicked I see Percy come from behind and sink he pitchfork into the best and suddenly Crowe and Apollo are here both with machete ready to fight.

They manage to cut off his arms and while the thing is strong and seems to refuse to die it is outnumbered and soon it collapses to the ground with a pool of blood. I feel repulsed by the blood and I imagine the others do to but at least we are alive. Everyone gathering their weapons I turn to look at all the others.

"Maybe we should move somewhere else for the night." I manage and no one argues or complains that we will have to rebuild the fire or anything. Just as I am about to go to pack my things I hear a growl.

No way.

I spin around in shock frozen in fear as the thing with no arms and in a way pitiful looking as it gives that tells me this is the beast's final action.

It doesn't get to do a thing though. Just as it is about to strike a trident flies past me and into the beast with one final action the makes it fall back down on its back. I look to the source and see I satisfied looking Serene.

"What did you think I was going to let the boys do all the work?" She asks and I see Rowan smile at that. Serene can be bossy and arrogant but man does she have good aim.

What an interesting night, I guess some would be so satisfied they would just be screaming into the sky at whoever is behind all of this disturbing displays with "Is this all you got" but I just hope that this brings an end to the wolf-man creatures.

But I can only hope.

"I wonder what the other group is up to."

a/n-I finally got this up! Sorry for ditching fanfiction guys I have been going through a lot of issues with getting my computer taken away… well hopefully this long chapter makes up for all that. So I actually do have something to ask (sorry) if it possible in your guys reviews can you include the District (and gender) in which you know the person's name already? Because I realize some people have been more mentioned the others and I don't do that intentional and I really want to see who I need to mention more so you guys can know everyone's name and everyone gets some spotlight :)

Also sorry the grammar isn't too good I looked over it but I didn't go into as much detail as I would have liked because I wanted to get this publish, I am hoping to have the President's Day to use and update myself on stories, collaboration I am in, and reviewing stories. Next time I will make check the grammar better.


	6. Chapter 6 Falling into a Nightmare

**_Chapter Six_**

**_Falling into a Nightmare_**

**_Day Two_**

**District Seven**

**Joel Rook, 16**

_Tick, tock, tick, tock._

The sounds pounds against my eardrums, I'm all alone, sitting in a golden rimmed red velvet with the chair's frame a dark cherry wood. Why has no one come?

No one wants to come and see me. I suppose if my parents could come they wouldn't anyway. Even if they know, they don't yet though. Maybe it is best they aren't here to push down onto me with harsh words. Maybe it is best that wicked woman is ill. I think part of me is glad. What am I doing sitting here though sitting on this chair listening to the clock tick and tock driving its very sounds under my skin and making my grasp on the chair's cushion tighten in settle madness? I don't want to be here I much rather listen to that ill woman's banter on and on using all the effort she can conquer up though she is suppose to be ridden to the bed coughing the day away. At least I wouldn't be here.

_Here?_

Where am I?

My eyes shoot open and my chest moving steadily up and down and my hands feel clammy and a headache pounds through my head.

Was that a memory? Or just a useless dream with no importance, I don't really know but everything was so vivid that I am determined to believe that the plush well furnished room with that damn clock is really out there somewhere. Was that ill woman I so badly scorned my mother? My life doesn't seem too great at first glance. Surely that was just a bad day I was experiencing.

What was going on though? I try to remember anything, the thoughts and situation so strange without the beginning and end to make sense out of it.

"Look like someone is finally awake." A voice says. I sit up the dirt under my shifting and glance towards the source. A fully awake looking Tolbert staring intently at a wire that he shifts and bends along with some rope tying and matching them together in some strange contraption.

"What _are _you doing?" I ask.

"Nightmare?" He asks.

I sigh, "That obvious?"

"Well I did just see you wake up panting and as pale as you just saw a ghost so yah it is that obvious." He says not ever looking up from what he is doing. "And I am building a snare, a very well made one if I do say so myself. I guess I have a talent for the sort of thing. Isn't that great?" He asks.

"Sure whatever where is Miyu?" I ask looking around at the sleeping figures realizing she is missing.

"She was going to look around for something we can eat or a source of water. It is chilly so I have my doubts about a good source of food but many things in this forest don't seem to follow nature's logic." Tolbert adds, he seemed quiet and I suppose he is but maybe he just sees that staying quiet when nearly all of us aren't that talkative will only do is bad. He is smart after all. It is obvious to see. He has a mad scientist look to him. Burn marks covering his arms that I can now see that his sleeves are pulled up as he works on the snare.

I want to ask him about the scars but decide against.

"What was it about?" He asks looking up at me.

"Huh?" I ask confused with probably a dumb look across my face.

"The nightmare what was it about?" Is he honestly asking? I don't know if I feel like telling. Not that I don't trust him but I still can't get over it and expressing it into words I am not sure I am capable of. He looks at me though waiting.

Luck is on my side as an excited looking Miyu who looks out of breath like she was just running interrupts us.

"I found water."

**District Eleven**

**Crowe Merrik, 18**

I want nothing more than to help the group. Everyone does. Even those who act like they are all that and don't need to prove themselves to stay in the group by not everyone was exactly trusting of everyone when they know nearly nothing about themselves. For all we know we could all be childhood friends, all twenty-four of us. But that makes no sense because of the Districts. Everything doesn't make sense though.

Tending to the flames with a stick I found lying around seemed useful at first but it isn't like anyone is awake other than me and the heat is getting bothersome. Better then freezing I suppose. The flames still reek of meat from what we caught last night. It makes my stomach growl. I didn't get anything to eat. I am an eighteen year old which means technically I am pretty much an adult and I don't want to take food away from some of the younger kids and the ones that looked like they could really use some food. I am don't look well feed but I have enough muscle to know I could go a day with just the water I got from before. I wish I got more but I did get a machete and a small book I haven't bothered to look at yet. The machete proved useful after last night.

The worse part of tending to the fire isn't just the fact that the heat is making me sweat but every time I look into it I hear yells and screams tear away at my brain. Fire from torches and screams. I don't know what it means but I can't help but wonder if it is a memory trying to get remembered. Something I do know is that if it is a memory it is defiantly one of importance that much I know. Makes sense, and not just because of the strong gut feeling I get, but because naturally the memories to come back to us all first are the important ones. The tragic ones, those types of memories are just some we can't seem to get rid of.

"You started another fire?" A female voice says. I look to see the girl from Two (Rowan I believe) stretching her arms and letting out a yawn. How can all these people sleep well in this situation? I just don't understand.

I nod in response; she is one of the lucky ones to manage a sleeping bag. Last night when we moved into a small little cave that forces us all to squeeze together tightly to all fit we suffered through the cold (which made squeezing next together sort of good since all of our body heat kept people near us warm) last night when we were too frightened to start a fire.

Just now I decided to move out of the cave and get some kind of fire going again to warm us all up.

Rowan gets up and moves from her spot in the cave near Apollo and Carmen and walks over to sit down next to me taking in the heat from the fire.

"It is for the best, I don't think this place can have that many of those beasts and if we find another we can just kill it again, without fire we will freeze at night." She comments.

"What if many come?" I ask.

She doesn't answer, she looks down next to my feet where the small book I retrieve lies. It is no more than five inches long and the cover is thin leather.

"What is that?" She asks.

"A book I got from the supplies." I say not sure if I am glad she saw it or if I should hide it.

"What does it say inside?" She asks curiously, she doesn't have much problem talking to me. Someone she just met, she is outgoing. Something I am not.

I shrug, "Haven't read it yet."

"How could you manage that aren't you curious?" She asks. "It could be a message." She says eyes wide. She is one of the younger ones, only fifteen.

Part of me lights up, how did I never think of that? I pick the book up and open the pages. There are drawings of plants and herbs with writing next to everyone. Describing what it looks like and what its uses are.

"It is from plants and herbs." I say. "Says what they are good for."

'Does it say which are edible?" She asks and I nod. "Well it isn't explaining why we are here but that is still awesome." She says and glances at it. "Can I take a look?" This is it, a small moment where I can decide if I trust her enough to hand over this critically important piece of survival or if I play it safe and keep it from her.

I make my decision before I even truly can think it over. I nod and hand her the book to look at and she smiles. Maybe she isn't one to trust but I will at least give her a chance.

**District Ten**

**Jayde Nightrose, 17**

By the time everyone is awake Jake already has a plan, I know others feel annoyed by the way he takes charge but I love it. I love that someone stepped up, people need leaders and Jake is just that. We were to split into groups; we have the large number of eighteen so we are split into four groups. Some of us are to stay and keep the fire going, watch over the supplies, and to cook anything people bring back. Another will go and look for any herb or plant we can use. The third looks for water and will check on the snares we left near our last area we stayed before that awful beast. The last group will hunt, I doubt that group will get much done though.

Then again we all aren't exactly sure what we are capable of so maybe we will get lucky and one of them will get something.

I am in the group that stays along with Jake, and Heather,

As the other groups begin to leave I run a check with who is where. Elliot, Willa, Crowe, Apollo, and Rowan all are in the herbs groups. I was surprised Apollo went with them but apparently Rowan discovered something with Crowe about plants and herbs and Apollo wanted to go with Rowan. They all said they knew something about the subject and I hope they are correct because we all are very hungry.

The group searching for water included Clarrissa, Carmen, Imogene, and Helena. The hunting group Serene, Percy, and Emile that is the group where I would have put Rowan and Apollo but they made the decision not me.

I am most glad to stay with Jake, at first I was so sure he wanted to talk to Clarrissa but for some reason he hasn't even talked to her since that first time. How can I even like someone in this situation? I don't know but I don't care.

"Hey Jayde can you give me a hand with the fire? I don't know what Crowe was doing but he most have been a miracle worker because as soon as he left the fire has been dying down." Jake says and I smile. He is beyond charming.

"I will go get some fire wood." Heather says and then leaves the small little area in search. I am slightly glad for it. I can talk to Jake by myself now. Not that I think she has any interest in Jake I just like the more private situation.

Sitting on the ground next to him I can feel the heat radiate from the fire even as it gets smaller.

"You should try to move that piece onto the flames so it will catch on fire." I suggest.

He shakes his head. "Not yet, gradually yes but you can't completely cover the flame even with the wood. Fire needs oxygen Jayde, the flames grows by eating away at the material but if the material takes on the fire too quickly and rids of its oxygen, the thing it needs to grow, then the fire will go out." He says staring into the flames.

"You can call me Rose." I say unsure what else to say.

"Rose? Why Rose?" He asks breaking his stare with the flames to glance up at me.

"My name is Nightrose, and kind of like how you use the nickname Jake. It just seems more natural." I say and he nods.

"Okay then, Rose is a very pretty name. Maybe even more so than Jayde." He looks up and smiles up at me.

**District Three**

**Terra Lynn, 13**

The day seemed to go on for ages when in reality it probably has only been a few hours. I have learned to either ignore my stomach when it growls in hunger or to just take a drink of water. Of course water isn't food but it does help a bit to forget the hunger.

This time I don't take a sip of water when my stomach growls. This time around I give in. I do have some food, more than some others, and while I am so hungry it seemed like such a stupid thing to just eat all the food now. I got a can of nuts and an apple, I plan on having the apple for dinner tonight so it won't go bad before I can eat it but I was hoping to make it through today without eating the nuts. It is about noon though, so it will be like a lunch.

Pulling out the can I try to be discreet as I take a handful of them and toss them into my mouth greedily chewing and swallowing them and savoring the salty flavor. We are on the move, which means that Tolbert didn't want to place his professional looking snare down just yet but he also knows very well we all want to just eat something. Only some of us got food from the supplies and we have a sort of unspoken agreement that those small amount of food we retrieved we are not required to share.

"You okay?" Tolbert approaches me from the side as we walk.

I nod, "Why do you ask?" Do I look like I am not?

"You are so young," he says with a shrug.

"So is Ruana."

"Maybe by years but not mentally," He says. Basically his way of saying I act like a child. Which is true sadly. I don't want to be like a ten year old though who only managed nuts, an apple, and a pair of socks. I want to act old because if I don't how am I supposed to make it out of this?

Makes me want to cry and that just makes things worse.

"Thanks for asking Tolbert," I say and he nods walking ahead again.

My eyes to the ground I walk in the middle of the group. Miyu, Ruana, Tolbert, and Algernon ahead of me. Joel in the back lagging behind which is what we all would expect from him. He had a certain cold personality to him yesterday but more so quiet, today something seems to be bothering him.

"Yes!" Someone says. I look up to see Miyu smiling along with many the others speechless with joy.

A house, a small little place that looks a bit run down but someone could be living there. This is great!

"Don't get too excited this place is run down as can be, and if someone is living there and allows their home to look like this do we really want to talk to them?"

"We need to give it a shot, besides we can take them on if the appose a threat to us." Algernon says standing straight like a miniature solider. Well he basically is a miniature solider. He and Ruana are the only one who has their District Partner with them.

District Partner?

Did I just call them that? It sounds strange and makes them sound like they are partners, as in a couple (which they are defiantly not). But it came out so naturally I suppose that is what we were to call the other person from our Districts.

"Well then lets check this place out." Tolbert says rubbing his hands together. I nervously walk forward and walk behind Joel by instinct.

"Man up Terra." Joel says as we walk forward.

I look up to him nervously and scared with wide eyes.

He groans. "Fine just no crying." He says letting me grab his arm to trail behind him not wanting to be in the front of the group. He makes sure to have an extra cold looking expression across his face as we walk forward with the others as if he needs to make sure everyone knows he is not okay with this.

Ruana opens the door and we walk through in the room, the inside looks a little nicer than outside but it all is vintage and old looking furniture that really cold use a dusting.

"Hello?" Tolbert calls out.

There is no answer.

"I hate to just break in but for all we know there could be some supplies or a phone." Tolbert says to all of us looking hopeful.

I really hope he is right.

**District Three**

**Emile, 18**

My hand is risen with the knife in my hands. Last night served as a window way into my past, well more like a clue. It came so naturally to stab that _thing _before it attacked anyone. I didn't even truly think about it. My body just acted on its own. It is why I wanted to go hunting even if I doubt I will even find an animal to even hunt let alone kill it without ruining the meat. But nonetheless it feels natural and maybe I will be fortunate enough to get some kind of glimpse at myself before all of this.

I so badly want to remember.

My life feels like an unopened book, it exists I just haven't read it yet.

Snapping me from my thoughts is a rustling in a bush and I hold the knife high ready to throw it once the animal emerges from the bush. A small little nose pokes through followed by the head of a squirrel. It cautiously begins to run out of the bush towards the tree and I act letting the knife come free from my grasp and arc towards the beast.

A shout erupts and the squirrel runs quicker up the tree avoiding the knife and the knife just barely misses the tree flying best a figure who ducks to avoid the blade just in time.

"What the?" I say running over to the tree slightly annoyed the girl scared away the squirrel. I see a girl still ducked with her hands over her head. She peeks up at me with blue eyes past her dark hair.

"Sorry I didn't realize…" She trails off nervously. Imogene, I remember her. She was supposed to be searching for water though.

"Why aren't you with your group?" I ask feeling half sorry for throwing a knife in her direction and half of me still annoyed I missed out on hitting the squirrel.

"We found a stream and I went downstream to look around and then I lost track of the others and I was searching." She asks then looks me up and down. "Where is your group?" She asks as if suddenly she reminded herself she doesn't need to be frightened of me or panicked.

She gets to her feet standing short in comparison to my height. She isn't extremely short but she is fairly skinny. She looks a bit underfeed like some of the others from the higher Districts.

"We split up." I say with a shrug. "That way we wouldn't accidently throw a knife into someone's back."

"Opps?" She says with a shrug.

"At least you didn't get hit."

"Well you have to be quick on your feet out here, obviously you are too if you even managed to find a target." She says.

I nod starting to walk in the opposite direction back to where our little headquarters is. "You guys found water?" I ask her curiously.

She nods. She isn't one of many words, though I already knew that. "You know before now I might have thought you to be mute." I say.

"I spoke once," she says in defense.

Turning around I look at her and she stops in her tracks. "It is a joke." I say before turning back around as we walk through the forest. "I am heading back to the campsite."

"Okay well I managed to find someone from the group and I am not going to just get myself lost again." She says folding her arms.

Walking in silence we easily find our way back to the where Heather carries a large pile of sticks. She bends to pick up another as she sees us. "You guys are the first ones back." She says.

"We found water," Imogene says back to her nervous sounding voice around the new person. She didn't seem too nervous talking to me though even after I threw that knife at her.

"Great." Heather says nodding. "The others will be glad to hear."

"Why are we pretending like we are starting some kind of civilization out here with that guy? Next thing we know he will be telling us to build cabins." I spit out slightly angry. Jake got on my nerves; I know he got on lots of people's nerves too. Yet we all just let him order us around.

"We don't even know if there is civilizations for miles around maybe that wouldn't be so bad." Imogene comments looking up at me. For someone who didn't say a word for so long except for one statement she sure is starting to talk now. Maybe that is a good thing.

"We don't know that, and besides sitting here and pretending like everything is okay is going to be the end to all of us. We saw a twelve year old killed with bullets, none of us can remember a thing, and we saw some beast thing that isn't natural at all." I say back.

"Then don't let yourself pretend. But just because you are strong enough to not let yourself pretend that everything is okay, which I agree with, doesn't mean that everyone else is." She says.

I don't respond.

"She does have a point." Heather whispers nearly just for herself and I smile at the two of them.

"You know you two should talk more."

**District Two**

**Rowan, 15**

Pushing a brown lock behind my ears I walk forward through the woods making my way through happily carrying my backpack that was full of herbs and plants. I wasn't expecting us to find much on our journey but with that book from Crowe it was simple.

I hear talking, which is strange because there is still a little bit of a distance from here to where the others are.

"Percy just listen for a moment, please." Apollo? Suddenly I have a strong urge for them not to see me. I move behind a thick tree trunk and don't even dare look around to see their faces. The moment I did get a look at Apollo's usually smiling face I saw him look desperate. Desperate to be heard. Percy and Apollo weren't even in the same group and haven't spoken once this entire time to each other. Why now?

"What is Apollo just spit it out won't you?" Percy say sounding a little annoyed.

"I got back a memory." I hear him say. _He did?_ Part of my feels a little hurt, he went to Percy to tell him about it over Carmen and me. It must concern Percy then. Right?

"So then why are you telling me?" Percy asks back sounding in a way cautious. I can imagine his expression of caution as he also ponders why Apollo choose to tell him over anyone else? "Does Rowan and Carmen know?"

"No not yet, I am going to tell them and Serene." Serene? I wish I can jump out from behind the branch right now and ask questions but I can't. It is too late for that, they would I have been listening in. "It involves you all of us Percy. Rowan, Carmen, Serene, Avery, me, and you."

"It is about the Careers isn't it?"

"You know?"

"I know that you and I are careers and the rest of the people but I am not sure what it means exactly. I know that we were a group, not just us though it was our Districts. And we trained for some kind of sport. I just don't know what." Apollo says.

I'm a Career? What does that even mean? The training makes sense, I look stronger than most of the other tributes. I feel fit and healthy and last night with that Beast I believe if I choose to I could have taken the thing on and come out Victorious.

"So why does it matter?" Percy asks.

"I want you to know, we all deserve to know about ourselves and nearly everyone from District One, Two, and Four are considered Careers. I don't know what is going on also Percy but something here is weird and I don't think being here with this huge group is best." Apollo says sounding as serious as I have heard him sound.  
"Leave the group? Go with you and the other girls?"

"Serene defiantly won't come I know that but Rowan and Carmen probably will they are my friends."

"There are no friends here."

"Excuse me?" What was that? Percy sounded so different than usual I can imagine why Apollo would be confused.

"Look I am sorry but I am staying with the group and I am staying with Helena. You, Rowan, and Carmen made friends with each other and I made friends with Helena and all the other people in this group."

"I though there are no friends here." It sounds vengeful and angry, something strange to hear from Apollo.

"Whatever, I am staying with the group though." I hear footsteps and figure that is the sound of Percy walking away but they stop. "I won't tell the others just so you know, just don't involve me with your little attempt to go on your own." Then the footsteps continue. I imagine a defeated looking Apollo and want more than ever to walk out from behind this tree and do so but I can't. I am not ready to let him know I over heard all of that. Not yet anyway.


	7. Chapter 7 Apocalypse Please

_Chapter Seven_

_Day Two_

_Apocalypse Please_

_District One_

_Apollo, 17_

I assume it is a difficult thing to blindly follow your gut in hope that whatever such gut feeling is right but somehow the feeling deep in my bones that have connected everything that has gone down over the last two days and the memory of careers that if I stay much longer in this group things will not end well. Almost out of instinct I decided if anything to try and convince the others from "Career Districts" to follow my gut feeling but I also know that somewhere in the past I have run into Carmen and Rowan and I am in no way willing to let them stay in this group that is simply driving themselves into the very gates of hell.

Sure their intention of staying together in a large group to survive is good but the road to hell is paved with good intentions. I couldn't convince Percy and I know Serene would just growl at me and call me insane if I were to dare to ask her to come with me and the Rowan and Carmen. I say that because I know Rowan and Carmen will come with me. It will take convincing but maybe I can push them to remember. If I feel so strongly that I know them then they should feel the same way.

First Rowan, for some reason Carmen seems to have higher respect for females saying boy are so wild and foolish. If I convince Rowan she can help me convince Carmen.

Walking across the small campground where the group is still taking a small break before heading off trying hopelessly to find anybody. I stand in front of Rowan trying to give her a charming smile. "Hey Rowan." I say and she looks up and groans looking back down to the ground.

Cold.

"What is wrong with you?" I ask, not too long ago her and Carmen were laughing and she was nice to me.

"I don't take kindly to arrogance and hot-headiness." Rowan says looking up at me. "And you Apollo are reeking of both." She says and I see out of the corner of my eye Clarissa who is sitting near muffle laughter.

Sighing I drop the smile. "Sorry I just need to talk to you I just thought that-"

"That you could just charm me into listening to every word you say? Sorry but it isn't happening." Rowan says and once again after looking up to speak going back to look to the ground beneath her.

"I though you were nice." Maybe this wasn't going to be as easy as I originally believed.

"I am to those who deserve it." I laugh at that. She looks up at me as if I am insane. "Why are you laughing?"

"Because I find you funny." The words coming out before I realize it doesn't exactly fit what I meant to say.

She glares at me. "Excuse me?"

"I mean I am laughing with you. You are witty and while you are pretty good at being witty I am not as bad as you think. Please just give me a moment to talk to you." I say and she seems to give it a thought before standing up and brushing her army styled clothes and tries to stand tall and look me in the eyes but I have height on my side.

"Fine," she says her shield wearing away and her glare melting away. A still hint of distrust lies beneath her eyes and I can see that but maybe I can make her understand.

"I want to discuss something, I remembered." I tell her and she doesn't exactly have the shocked face I expected.

"I know," she admits.

"Excuse me?" I ask taken back.

"I heard you talking to Percy." She once again admits and with her words I am the one wearing the shocked face I was expecting her to have.

"What do you think?" I ask thinking back wondering if I could have seen something move out of the corner of my eyes or have heard her breathing. Nothing. She sure is good with stealth.

"I don't know, the word Career does ring a bell but I just think that we would be best with the others." She says it confidently but her eyes tell me she is unsure. Crossing her arms she continues to look up at me as we try to keep quiet so no one hears us.

"We shouldn't go alone but you have to trust me Rowan." I plead of her. She sighs seeming to be going through some sort of conflicting internal battle within her head.

"How can I trust you I just met you?"

"I want Carmen to go too, you don't have to trust me but you can trust her can't you?" Still she seems unsure. "Please I have never been more sure on something."

"You only have a day and a half of things to be sure about." She says but I continue to give her a pleading look. She groans still unsure looking. "Fine but only if Carmen comes too." She says and I smile.

"Great."

District Eight

Heather Paige, 16

"So what do you guys think about Jacob trying to convince us all with his talk of how we can't be alone and all?" I ask Emile and Imogene though already knowing how they will answer. I thought I was shy and reserved but Imogene seems to have ten times more issues with being introverted than I do. Emile will first allow Imogene to give her one answer question or shrug and if we are lucky a two-word answer and then he will go on complaining about Jake.

"Matters," Imogene says giving the one word answer and adding in a shrug. Her blue eyes then looking to Emile as we await for him to begin.

"He thinks he knows more than all of us combined." Emile says and as if it is in encoded in our DNA we all glance towards Jake sweet-talking to Jayde. It isn't right though, he doesn't like her as she likes him and everyone here except her can see that. Poor girl.

"I think Jacob actually sounds better than Jake." Imogene says suddenly cutting Emile off before he can continue. How strange of her to interrupt Emile. The two go together naturally. Emile discusses things and Imogene listens. Emile seems of be that passionate freedom driver type of person. I can only wonder what his past was like.

Suddenly we feel a presence next to us. A fake smiling Jake. "Really? I guess Jake just feels more right than Jacob for me." He says. I exchange a look with Emile both of us slightly taking a hit to our prides that we both didn't notice him making his way over to us.

"Both sound kind of stupid." Emile says with a frank look. Within a beat both Imogene and I laugh before Jake can get angry.

"He has been cracking jokes all day trying to cheer us up." I say to Jake feeling a little more sigh near the tall boy that I am less use to.

He lets out a small chuckle that doesn't feel at all true.

"Well just wanted to inform you guys we will be heading off soon." Jake says before leaving.

I look at Emile, "That was close." I say holding back laughter. I don't really understand how I imagined going from fearing my shy nature would hold me back to laughing with two people. Maybe the fact we are stranded in this place and a little boy has died already from mysterious gunshots is just too hard for me to truly process so soon. We all are trying to push the thought away.

"You really hate him." Imogene says quietly picking up a stick and using it to draw in the dirt.

I nod in agreement to that.

"He is just so easy to hate." Even Imogene manages a smile at that.

District Twelve

Tolbert

The house was empty. Creepy and made enough creaking noises that I lost count of how many times we told ourselves, "It was just the house settling"

At first I suppose I should have felt disappointed there was no rescue or working phone line but to be honest with the state of the place I was more than glad that there wasn't anyone there. Anyone who allows his or her home to end up like that is not someone I wish to seek help from.

So now we were back in the forest all trying to keep warm and keep our spirits high. Which was hard.

My thoughts are interrupted with a shattering scream as we all look toward Terra who falls to the dirt ground screaming holding her hands over her head.

For a moment we all are too shocked to do anything but as soon as we realize this in no act at all we rush forward to try to do something, anything, to help her. She stops screaming as I put my hand on her shoulder. She sobs.

"What is wrong?" Miyu asks her looking honestly worried for the little girl.

Terra cries and for a moment we all just exchange glances clueless of what to do. "I don't know but I think I remembered a nightmare." Terra tells us as she wipes away tears.

"What do you mean?" Joel asks seeming to be very confused by it all.

"I had a memory but it was strange… it had to be a nightmare." Terra says. She says it as if she is trying to comfort herself more than us.

"What do you mean?" Joel asks again.

"Joel!" Ruana says. "Give her a break!"

"We need to know." Algernon says agreeing with Joel.

Terra looks up at us all circled around her. "I saw people killing each other." She whispers. Startled we all begin to give her space except for Miyu who stays on the ground to comfort her. It takes us all a moment to process what she said.

"What is going on?" A male voice says. We all snap our heads in the direction of people. At first my heart does a flip until I realize it was just the other group.

"None of your business." Ruana says to the tall boy from Five that has seemed to take charge. They must have heard Terra's scream.

I am surprised by Ruana courage to stand up like that, she is so shy and quiet and the boy seems shocked also. "If she is hurt then we want to know. Or if you all saw something in the woods we want to know what is roaming around here." The District Five boy says back to Ruana. Now Joel is up defending our group.

"What do you think is in this forest that is such a big deal for a group with pitchforks and weapons!" Joel yells standing right in the boy's face. I want to smile but we still have to worry about the fact we are arguing with the only other known people in this place.

"We were attacked last night by a beast." The boy from Two tells Joel.

"What?" I ask thinking out loud.

"Yeah," The boy from Five says in my direction. "We should be sticking together."

"No thanks, besides if there are these beasts you are so scared of then they will be attracted to larger groups. Joining together wouldn't be that smart." Algernon says emotionless not scared or surprised at all like the rest of us.

District Five

Jake, 17

Why can't they just understand? Why do people do this? I wonder sometimes if I am the only logical thinker here. More people in the group and that means more people that can fight off beasts. They just don't understand that.

"We need to stick together." I growl at them all as my group stands behind me. Who does the District Six kid think he is? How does he even see sense in that?

"We don't need to do a thing you say." The younger girl says standing tall in front of my glaring. She seemed so shy when I saw her in that underground room with all the others. Yet here she sounds shooting flames at me in her mind.

"I don't want to see you all get hurt." I say trying to reason with them.

The short kid from Twelve laughs at that. "Why do you care?" He says turning to look at me. "We can handle ourselves and you can handle your group." He tells me.

A sneer comes from behind me and I turn around to see Emile standing arms crossed. "We aren't _his _group."

"I am the leader." I tell him annoyed he has to start arguing with me at this moment out of all the moments.

"Since when?" Emile says. Even my group is acting like a bunch of idiots. I need to get things under control. I ignore Emile deciding I will deal with him later and worry about the other group and trying to make them see clear.

"I have a good heart."

"We want to be left alone." The boy from Seven says.

They all get up the girl from Nine helping up the littlest girl from the ground and they gather their things turning their back to us. I want to scream. But there is nothing I can do so whatever, they can be foolish and go on their owns. I can't get through everyone's thick skull. We just stand watching them leave and when they are out of sight I spin around to look at Emile.

"You!" I spit. "What is wrong with you? Why do you hate me so much?" I ask

He laughs, "Really? You don't know? Because you are a jerk. You are arrogant and believe that you always know best."

"I am trying to help the group."

Emile lets out a frustrated sigh. "You just don't get it." He says shaking his head and breaking from the group and heading to the right.

"Where are you going?" I yell after him.

"Away from you!" He responds.

District Twelve

Imogene, 18

Everything is falling apart. My one friend is leaving me and my other and the group is just standing here. Going in a small group of two isn't smart at all, even three if Heather comes. But I don't want to be alone. I just can't handle it. I know if I don't follow him Heather and I will probably never get lucky enough to make friends with someone else in the group.

Closing my eyes I know I need to decide quick, after all he is walking away. I don't think and just act. Pushing through the group holding my things tightly I run after him.

"You too?" Jake calls.

I turn around thinking how to respond. I give a smile, "Yup!" The only thing I can do. I hear Emile's footsteps stop. I look at Heather. She doesn't look at me. She looks to the ground.

Part of me expected her to come with us; she was friendly with us after all. But she stays put. I don't blame her. Part of me wishes I were still standing next to her.

I can't go back now though.

"If you leave you can't come back!" Jake calls after us. I don't respond ignoring him as best as I can and jogging to catch up with Emile who is waiting for me. When I do I fall into pace with him as we both continue to walk not daring to look back no matter how tempting it is.

When it seems we are out of earshot I decide to speak. "I am sorry I just don't want to be alone."

"You would have had Heather." He points out.

"I thought she would have come too…" I whisper. I do not through her under the bus because I still consider her a good person I just wish she would have joined us. Maybe that is just me being selfish.

"I don't blame her for not coming." Emile says but then gives me a half-hearted smile. "Thank you for coming though. I could use the company."

I nod enjoying the sounds of crunching leaves under our boots and the wind pushing at our hair. "Well he was pretty annoying." I say in a very matter-of-fact way.

He laughs; a strange thing to do after we both have left a group that could have helped us both survive. "Yes he was."

District One

Carmen, 17

Maybe I made the wrong choice. The thought has passed through my head a few times since leaving with Rowan and Apollo. Most of all now that I am being forced to collect firewood. My hands feel so gross and I feel so bitterly miserable.

Sighing I pick up yet another piece of wood running and then leave yet another rock adding it to the trail from the little campground the three of us made. I think the trail thing was in a story once. An ancient story though, I just wish I could remember the story's name.

I walk forward cursing the fact Apollo is forcing Rowan and I to act so un-lady like. That is males for you.

Hearing footsteps I sigh standing straight and pushing a strand of red hair behind my ears about to turn around to yell at Rowan or Apollo, whoever is behind me, for trying to sneak up on me.

"Really?" I ask turning around to something very not human. Like the thing from yesterday in the sense it is anything but normal but the beast is more like a dog, much smaller but still with rows of fangs. Dropping the firewood I scream and run in the opposite direction the thing right on my trail. Running faster I see a river ahead of me, it looks deep but I could possibly find rocks to cross on. Maybe the beast won't follow me then. I look behind and scream when I see the thing catching up fast. I find myself tripping and landing in cold water.

Taking a deep breath my blood runs cold as I hit the cold water the current already pushing me down the river. Not lady like at all. The good thing is the thing is no longer following me but I am soaking wet and freezing.

I try to swim to the opposite edge but I quickly realize it is that easy. Panicked I let out another scream and try to swim harder but it is no use. I practically have no muscle and the current is too strong. I am pushed under the water.

Screaming air bubbles I try to push myself up able to get a quick breath before being pushed under again in the dark murky water.

Suddenly I feel hands wrap around me and see pale skin flash in front of my eyes as the person tugs on me. I get another breath of air as I try to help whoever is helping me but I am exhausted from my struggle. Whoever is helping me is definitely strong. I feel myself be dragged onto land and desperately refill my lungs.

I look at my survivor. Rowan? But she is a female, she shouldn't be that strong. "Thank you." I say anyway annoyed Apollo didn't come to help me and made Rowan did it. But in the end I am thankful to at least be alive.

"No problem," Rowan says trying to catch a breath as well. She has removed her jackets, shoes, and socks it seems since the items and a bag sit leaning against a tree.

"I can't believe Apollo made you help me and not him." I say.

She gives me a strange look. "What do you mean? I got here first and don't even know if he heard you. Besides I could save you just fine. I am strong you know." She says.

Rowan is nice enough, but she is not very lady-like.

"Yes but he is a guy he should have been a gentlemen."

"You realize how little sense that makes right?" Rowan asks who seems to be getting angrier by the moment though I don't know why.

"What about manners?" I ask.

She groans. "We are trying to survive Carmen none of that matters."

"Well it does to me." I say crossing my arms.

She stands up putting on her socks and shoes and finally her jacket. "You know what whatever you can find your own way back to the campground." Rowan spits at me angry before storming away.

* * *

A/N-I am really sorry guys I took a bit to update! I have just been very focused on Shattered Memories and ending it. I finally finished it, which means this story can become a main focus again. Sorry but there was nothing really I could do. Anyway I do have Shattered's sequel up which you can check out and submit a character too if you guys want. Sorry I know I have been bad with updating but I really want to start updating more now. And remember to leave a review.


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